Skip to main content

Saints leaders aim to keep morale, focus high

By WTOP Staff

BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints’ early season slide is the kind of scenario Sean Payton had in mind when the coach and his staff placed a premium on character during player evaluations.

“This is when you get tested a little bit — not just physically, but you get tested mentally, emotionally,” Payton said Wednesday, referring to New Orleans’ 1-3 start.

“When we go into selecting players and drafting players and signing free agents, we look closely at those intangibles, not for when we’re 4-0 and 5-2 ,” Payton continued, “but you look closely at those intangibles when you hit that adversity.”

The Saints were among the final four teams in the previous NFC playoffs, so the primary story line surrounding the club during the offseason was whether some key additions would help New Orleans better contend with Super Bowl champion Seattle for conference supremacy in 2014.

Instead, the Saints are in danger of being alone in last place in the NFC South Division if they lose to Tampa Bay (1-3) this Sunday in the Superdome.

So when one of New Orleans’ new high-profile players, three-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd, was asked about the Saints’ chances of rebounding to win the division, Byrd responded, “At this point, I’m not too concerned about the division. I’m worried about just winning a game — the next game.”

Right tackle Zach Strief said the onus is on team captains and other veteran leaders in the locker room to keep an eye on the morale and focus of their teammates as the Saints quickly try to address the myriad breakdowns that have been costing them games.

“Do we feel like we’re not talented enough? I don’t think that’s an issue in this locker room,” Strief said. “I do think that guys can start questioning the process and that’s leadership’s responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“This is not the week to be late to a meeting. This is not the week to go out. Everything’s got to be tighter. We’ve got to meet more. We’ve got to work harder in practice,” Strief continued. “We have to find a way to bring along guys that maybe haven’t been in this as long to realize what it’s going to take to win.”

For quarterback Drew Brees, priorities include emphasizing the enjoyment of football while at the same time keeping intensity high.

“The most important thing is just to remind ourselves that we’re supposed to have fun out here,” Brees said. “It stinks when you’re losing and that part’s not fun, but let’s remind ourselves what we have the opportunity to do.

“It’s a game, so let’s have fun and let’s compete because that’s what we’re bred to do as well. It’s the thrill of the competition and the fun of having the opportunity to win and do things that most people don’t get a chance to do.”

For team leaders like Brees, trying to do or say too much is “a trap you can very easily fall into,” the quarterback said. Rather, Brees wants to set the example by bringing positive energy to practice, and letting his work ethic speak for itself.

“You can talk all you want,” Brees said. “You can rah-rah as much as you want. You can have your meetings in the locker room or weight room or whatever, all you want, but at the end of the day it’s how are you actually acting and your attitude and your approach — and that’s what the young guys see.

“So if you come out and, man, you’re flying around, and you’re approaching practice with a really positive mindset and a great focus and, man, you’re not letting little mistakes slide … that’s the best thing you can do as a leader.”

Notes: Saints starting LT Terron Armstead, who left last Sunday night’s game in Dallas to be evaluated for a concussion, participated in Wednesday’s practice on a limited basis. He said afterward that he felt fine, adding, “I’ll be out there Sunday.” … Those sitting out practice on Wednesday included C Jonathan Goodwin (neck), RB Mark Ingram (hand), RB Erik Lorig (ankle) and CB Corey White (foot). … S Marcus Ball (hamstring) and LB David Hawthorne (ankle), who did not play in Dallas, both practiced on a limited basis Wednesday. Ball had sat out practice the previous four weeks.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote